The present invention relates generally to fiber optic manufacturing, and more particularly, to a fiber carrier to carry optical components such as, for example, an optical fiber.
In high performance optoelectronic packages, critical optical elements require more precise placement than can be obtained with the combination of platform height control and two-dimensional pick and place. This is the case of single mode fibers, which have to be aligned within less than a micron precision to achieve high optical coupling efficiency. Currently, ferrules are used with fibers. A ferrule is a component used to align and protect the stripped end of a fiber. An example of a ferrule may be a rigid glass tube. A ferrule is generally used together with a connector that connects the fiber to either another fiber or to a transmitter or receiver.
Generally, there is a need to carry optical elements such as optical fibers from one location to another without causing any harm to the optical element. In doing this, several problems may arise. One problem is with regard to locking the fiber in place in the carrier. Due to the small size of the optical element (optical fiber) and the bulky size of the carrier, it may be difficult to lock the fiber into place within the carrier. Another problem arises in attempting to prevent any damage to the fiber while it is being carried. Yet another problem involves designing an optical element carrier that is fully functional and that may still be integrated into a fully automated process where another machine controls the optical element carrier""s actions. There may also be problems with mechanical accessibility and alignment.